I was trembling with anger, gripping Caleb's hand tightly.
Viola called out to me impatiently. "Isla, the meal isn't done yet, what's wrong with you!"
"It's just seven hundred thousand dollars, isn't it? Is that so much? Besides, Mom's money is hers to give to whomever she wants. We're all family. Why are you so fussy?"
I stopped in my tracks, turned to glare at the loathsome face of the vested interest and snapped back.
“Yeah, seven hundred thousand dollars isn’t much to you. Mom can give her money to whomever she wants, but I’m still her daughter!”
"Over the years, you've lived a carefree and happy life in the city, while we've been taking care of Mom and Dad around the clock whenever they fell ill, day or night."
"We provide all the daily necessities, from food to seasonal clothing, for them."
"You guys just go home, have a meal and leave right after, while Caleb and I have to work from dawn till dusk."
"I've given everything—paying off car loans and mortgages, caring for my sick mother-in-law. Why should I receive not a single penny of the seven hundred thousand dollars demolition compensation!"